●Singing Along●

[Lilia Jayne Sterling]

Lilia was taking advantage of those rare days she didn’t have to worry about Issy because of daycare and Theo’s early day and had nothing at all planned by hitting the beach. She drove well out of the city to get away from it all for a few hours at least, taking with her only what she would need. Beach tote, towel and book in hand, the Scottish girl spent a few blissful hours lathered in sunscreen, reading and relaxing on the beach. But the day had to end eventually and when Lilia caught a look at the time she figured it was as good a time as any to pack up and maybe surprise Theo and Issy with some sort of take out. She was hitting city limits when the call came through and she pulled over to answer it. After she was finished with the call, she wished Theo would have made that call sooner so she would have been able to stay at the beach a little longer, maybe even get a hotel room for the night.

It was too late now, so she moved back into traffic and continued into the city. She had just barely decided on stopping for pizza when Theo’s call came through and with her heart set on it, she kept going to her favourite place. All the while, she was wracking her brain about where to go because she had absolutely no idea. She couldn’t go home since Meg was going over for a date night and Lilia has busted in on those enough times when things were just starting out between the two that she wasn’t about to do that all over again now that Meg was back around. When she parked outside the pizza place, she ran through her contact list trying to find somewhere she could go for a couple hours. Her brown eyes landed on a name she hoped wouldn’t turn down pizza and soda if it was brought to his front door. Rushing inside, she grabbed two large pizzas, one cheese and one pepperoni because she had no idea what a twelve year old boy liked.

She made one more stop before pulling up outside the apartment building the brothers lived in and cut the engine. She should have called first, made sure they were home, were hungry or something. But she hadn’t actually thought about that until now. And it was too late to worry about that now. Rolling with it, Lilia pushed her bag up onto her shoulder, and grabbed the shopping bag with the sodas in it before checking the street for traffic and slipping out. She rounded the front, collecting the pizzas from the passenger side. She kicked the door shut and managed to hit the lock and alarm button with her hands full. With some maneuvering, Lilia got passed the door and found her way to Seb’s apartment. Taking a deep breath, the Scottish girl set the shopping bag on the floor at her feet, straightened up and knocked. She didn’t know who it would be that opened the door but she had little speeches sort of thought out, depending on who it was.

Tag || Seb!
Words || 533
Clothes || Beach Bum
Music || Untangle Me - - -The Maine
Notes || <3!

[Sebastian Finley Whelan]

After finishing a short morning shift at the Tribeca, Seb was not at all surprised to return to his apartment and find that his neighbour had been on a baking frenzy with Matthew. Mrs Lincoln was a retired teacher who only saw her own grandchildren for the holidays when her son flew her out to their Florida home. She was more than happy to keep an eye on Matthew while Seb was out making sure that bills could be paid and that there was food on their table. Usually, whenever she did take care of the twelve year old, there was a plate of cookies and a batch of brownies waiting by the time the older Irishman made his way through the front door. She refused to accept any payment either, claiming it was more of a joy for her than it was helpful for him. Even if Seb and Matthew didn’t need her help she would appear with pies or to let them know she was having a day of chores if they needed anything doing. More than once she had taken a pile of laundry and ignored Seb’s protests before ironing, folding and putting it away for them. The brothers laughed about it sometimes, but she really was a blessing in Seb’s life since Matthew had come to live with him; even if she did seem a little eccentric at times!

Once she had bid the brothers good day and returned to an afternoon of cookery shows and crafting, Seb treated Matthew to a trip in the city to get a new game for their Xbox and lunch at the pizza place the little boy adored so much. He accompanied Seb to take care of a few errands and then convinced the nursing student to take him to the comic book store so that he could spend his allowance for the week. It was harder to keep Matthew entertained when summer was here and school, homework and class projects weren’t around. Sure, there were video games, comics, movies and a few other gizmos, but twelve year olds grew bored easily enough and so Seb had to make sure he had another idea in place ready for when Matthew started huffing and complaining that his friends lived so far away from their apartment. Seb didn’t mind taking his brother to a friend’s house and then picking him up in the evening, but he didn’t like burdening the parents or assuming that it would be okay to do something like that. Once a week was fine, but he didn’t want to appear like he was dumping Matthew on the next responsible adult and then running off to spend the day to himself.

While the little boy was settled in front of the TV getting some practice in before “kicking his bro’s bum”, Seb took a quick shower and dried off, throwing some jeans on, but leaving the T-shirt discarded on the chair where his clean laundry lived before returning to the drawers. He had been too used to living alone before Matthew arrived and now didn’t like dirtying a shirt unnecessarily when he was just lounging around his home. It was warm enough, so it didn’t matter. Laughing at the concentration on Matthew’s face, Seb moved to the kitchen and grabbed a handful of takeout menus so they could deal with the matter of dinner before losing themselves in a videogame. The knock at the door didn’t confuse him; he just thought it was a neighbour needing to borrow something or offer the boys something. Matthew’s arrival seemed to have entranced quite a few of the people in their building and it wasn’t uncommon to have someone showing up with treats or to ask if the soon-to-be teenager wanted to go to the park. He didn’t expect to find Lilia on the other side, however, and he leaned against the doorframe and looked at her with a quizzical expression in his dark eyes. “Lil? Is everythin’ ookay?”

[/color] He asked, worried something might’ve been wrong to bring the pretty brunette to his door.
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• • •

TAGGED! Lilia <3
WORDS! 722!
OUTFIT! New York Guy!
LYRICS! Boomboxes and Dictionaries - - The Gaslight Anthem
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Lilia Jayne Sterling]

Lilia hadn’t thought that she would be interrupting something. She had a one track mind when it came to some things and no matter what people said to her, she didn’t quite clue in until it was too late. It was what she was doing now, standing outside Seb’s door, hoping only now that he was home. Normally, she would have called ahead or sent of a quick text but of course, she usually had the time to go home and plan things through. She usually had Issy to drop off at home before she even thought about plans and today she had nothing more than a short drive into the city and hours to kill before she was allowed to step foot into her home again. Lilia has played the annoying little sister the first time around, it wasn’t as fun the second time, especially since she’d gotten along well with the other girl. Lilia thought she was good for her brother and niece.

She wasn’t sure who she was expecting to answer the door but she should have known if it were Seb, he would be missing his shirt; any excuse to go without one, that boy had used it. “Why wouldn’t things be okay?” She asked, confused. “A girl can’t surprise a friend an’ his brother with pizza an’ soda? What is this world coming to?” she asked, leaning over to fetch the shopping bag at her feet. “Be useful and get plates and cups,” she said, moving around him in the space he’d left. “Hey there, Handsome, getting some practice in?” she asked, setting the boxes down on the table and the bag next to it. She turned around to the elder Whelan brother as she slipped off her light sweater she’d tossed on to fight against the chill of the ocean by the time she’d left. “And this can go?” she asked. “Around your shoulders, perhaps?” She added grinning, unable to help herself from the teasing.

Tag || Seb!
Words || 331
Clothes || Beach Bum
Music || Untangle Me - - -The Maine
Notes || <3!

[Sebastian Finley Whelan]

With the summer months still dawning, Seb was still making the most of relaxing time and lazy days. Any trips would come in a month or so, before the pre-school rush that always arrived at the closing weeks of the scorching summers. Looking at Matthew, he missed the days when the end of school came with endless possibilities and no worries about the future. While he didn’t necessary worry, he did already have a booklist and several other lists for himself and his little brother. And he had yet to start crossing things off them.

Relaxing the second Lilia revealed the reason for showing up at his door without any prior warning, he rolled his eyes and then turned back to fix his brown eyes on her. “Most friends would send a text message. An’ you never just show up here, so forgive me for carin’.”

[/color] He ended sarcastically, watching as she sidestepped him and made herself at home easily enough. At least the endless dinner debate would be missing from tonight’s events! From the small kitchen, he could still hear her talking to Matthew. “Aye, goona kill Seb.” Was all he had to say as he focused on the video game and the characters running about the screen. “An’ I’m Handsome, he’s Goofball.”[/color] Seb added, leaning through the serving window to make his point before vanishing to collect the glasses from the bottom cupboard and then joining his friend and brother back in the main living area of his apartment.

Glaring playfully at Lilia as he put the dishes on the small tabletop, he took the sweater from her hands and hid it away in the slender closet that looked more like where they might hide the DVD collection. In fact, it was where Seb kept his good clothes that often couldn’t get tossed in a drawer, the crisp shirts and the good trousers for those occasions when formality demanded it. “I don’t think it’s my size.”[/color] He told her, flexing his muscles and smirking cheekily. Seb took pride in his physique, though he saved most of that for jokes and teasing games like this one. His regular trips to the gym were more of his way to blow off steam and clear his mind when the textbooks melted his mind to mush. It just so happened to be that his body benefitted greatly from the workouts, too.
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• • •

TAGGED! Lilia <3
WORDS! 442!
OUTFIT! New York Guy!
LYRICS! Boomboxes and Dictionaries - - The Gaslight Anthem
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Lilia Jayne Sterling]

If she were being honest, Lilia couldn’t wait until school started up again. It would be her final year and then she could find herself in a residency position at some hospital somewhere; though she was well aware already where she was being assigned. It was the whole reason she kept going back to do her volunteer hours at the hospital she did. She was spending the next few years after her senior year developing her skills in a hospital setting. There would be no more hours upon hours cuddled over texts, searching out answers to mock quizzes or information to add to essays. If she had her nose in a textbook it would be to properly diagnose a patient with a list of symptoms. The brunette doctor to be had always wanted to help people. It wasn’t that she wanted to take credit for saving a life, or the money and minor fame it could bring her. She wanted to do it simply because someone had to and she happened to have a passion, good understanding and a strong stomach; plus she had lousy handwriting. It seemed like becoming a doctor was inevitable.

“Well, most brother’s give their sisters more than city limits to make other arrangements than going home because they decided a date night was more important than their sister getting sand out of her hair,” Lilia said, pointing to the bandana that was currently keeping her thick, chocolate brown locks up out of her face and off her neck. Admittedly, she didn’t have sand in her hair but she could have and it would give her a reason to annoy Theo. Not that she really needed a reason for that. “But thanks for caring; it’s so sweet of you. I’ll have to tell those nurses they were wrong about you.” Lilia had quite the habit of making herself at home no matter where she was. Smiling, Lilia nodded at the younger Whelan. “Good, someone needs to take him down a few pegs,” she said to Matthew but she was looking towards Seb with mischief glimmering in her dark eyes. “No ego on you,” she said, sticking her tongue out at him and grinning because he had turned away just before she’d done so.

Lilia shrugged, “Can’t say I dinnae try.” She tried to stop herself from rolling her eyes at the flexing Seb was doing but it didn’t work. Neither did hiding the laugh at how ridiculous he was. She knew he didn’t have that bad of an ego on him but he could certainly act like it. It definitely brought a smile and a laugh to Lilia whenever she was feeling a little down. Making herself at home again, she curled up in the corner of the sofa and flipped the top box over, revealing the pepperoni pizza. “I didn’t know what to get so, I got the usual suspects,” she said, pulling a slice free and taking a big bite from it. She had grabbed a small thing of chips from the little place on the beach around noon and nothing but water since then. She was starving and looking forward to a couple slices of the pizza she’s brought along with her.

Tag || Seb!
Words || 539
Clothes || Beach Bum
Music || Untangle Me - - -The Maine
Notes || <3!

[Sebastian Finley Whelan]

Seb ought to be entering his senior year in the fall, but the death of his parents came with a necessary leave of absence and it had thrown his plans back by a year. He knew it couldn’t be helped and that there was no one to blame for such a thing, but it still made him feel a little antsy to get on with it and power through the next two years. Neither of them would be easy, especially since he would have to make sure Matthew was safe and happy, too, but Seb was determined and when he put his mind to something it was almost impossible to deter him. In the meantime, volunteer shifts at the hospital would keep his ambition in check and remind him that soon enough it would actually be the place he called work.

Keeping up a bland expression, Seb shook his head. “I wouldn’t know; my brother’s twelve.”

[/color] He stated simply enough, pointing his thumb in the direction of the couch where Matthew was still engrossed in the video game on the television screen. “However, I have to agree; a date night is more important. You can shower anywhere, he cannot do that anywhere, there are laws against it.”[/color] Teasing Lilia was just too much fun at times and Seb could easily get carried away. He had to remind himself of little ears, although he knew that while Matthew had no interest in dating or anything of the like just yet, he would probably already know what they were talking about. These days you didn’t need health class to know where babies come from, and it probably didn’t help that Seb left medical textbooks laying about most of the time. Matthew already asked too many questions about long words he couldn’t pronounce. “Oh, no, those nurses are right about me.”[/color] He added a smirk and a wink to the end of his sentence. He had only actually dated one nurse at the hospital and it had ended after a couple of dates when the spark had fizzled out. Still, it was all fun and games with Lilia’s words and he knew that. He’d probably be hurt if she thought he was really like that. Matthew nodded, went to speak again, but got caught unaware by the video game’s enemy. He didn’t think he’d be missed too much from the conversation, since Seb usually had a way of keeping it going when he didn’t. “Of course there isn’t! I work it off at the gym.”[/color] The Irishman knew he often only fuelled the jokes and the silly comments, but he’d rather have people around him laughing and feeling playful that wallowing in misery.

“You know you love it.”[/color] He said with another charming smirk and accompanying wink. He enjoyed that he could joke like this with Lilia. He did it around other friends, too, but there were girls who thought him serious or narcissistic when in reality Seb was often just mocking himself and anyone who really thought themselves to be that good looking. Most of the time his hair was messy, he hadn’t been clean shaven for most of the year…little things, but they were the things that Seb could point out if anyone argued that he was the epitome of vanity. “Meh, the gremlin on the couch eats just about anythin’ you put in front of ‘im. Hey, Matt, there’s a pause button for a reason.”[/color] He waited for the twelve year old to hit the button and send a brotherly glare his way before grinning and helping himself to a slice while his little brother moved to do the same. Seb poured the sodas into the cups and pushed them across the table as he fell into the seat beside Lilia. “Thanks, Lil. Saves me a job.”[/color] He winked and then reached out to mess up her dark locks.
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• • •

TAGGED! Lilia <3
WORDS! 695!
OUTFIT! New York Guy!
LYRICS! Boomboxes and Dictionaries - - The Gaslight Anthem
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Lilia Jayne Sterling]

If Lil were counting, she should have been into her second year of residency. But she was far from that still needing a few credits to even graduate from school. She didn’t mind though, she had taken the time off for a good reason and no one could see fault in that. If they did, well, they weren’t human as far as she was concerned. Her brother and niece needed her to be around for the little things and she would help them with those until she knew things were stable enough that she could go back to school and finish. When she started to see that things were looking up for the two and that Theo was starting to have a life after sweet Jenny, she felt better going through all that paperwork to transfer schools and finish out her senior year.

“Okay, first of all, dinnae know you were a girl. That makes slumber parties so much easier now,” she said sarcastically. “Second, that’s only if you get caught,” she whispered, aware of the twelve year old in the room, with a roll of her mischievous dark eyes. “And if that’s the case, I’ll be borrowing yours later and some clothes,” she added with a smirk, though she was serious. She enjoyed the beach, she didn’t however, enjoy the sand that got everywhere while she was there. Lilia was lucky that the little ears around her house were still too small to pick up words and say them at random while she had Issy out for the day. The only worry she really had was Issy saying her first words and have one of them be something Lilia said not thinking. “I thought so. Guess I’m cashing in on a bet my next volunteer shift,” she said with a mischievous grin on her face. “You must spend forever at the gym. How do you find the time in the day?” she asked, sounding exhausted just thinking about it, though if she didn’t get in at least an hours work out, she felt lazy even if she was rushing around the city or the house cleaning all day.

Rolling her eyes, Lilia pretended to be bored with the conversation. “Oh yes, I don’t know how I stop from throwing myself at you at every turn,” she said, in a bored tone, putting more attention towards her finger nails than she had in an entire month. She was usually more concerned with making sure Issy was okay when the little girl was in her care or the house was in top shape to be worrying about her overall appearance. Even when she had a place of her own and had the time to take care of herself first, she knew making sure Issy and Theo were okay would come first; even if that meant a phone call sometime in the day. This was part of the reason why Lilia thought she and Seb got along so well, they knew more about taking care of others than half the people around their age. “Hey, I’m eating here,” she said, sounding more annoyed than she obviously was with the smile curving her lips up as she swatted at Seb’s arm. She brushed off the thanks since it had been her plan from the beginning to get pizza; the only thing that changed was the destination.

Tag || Seb!
Words || 563
Clothes || Beach Bum
Music || Untangle Me - - -The Maine
Notes || <3!

[Sebastian Finley Whelan]

Seb relied on his humour a lot more than he let on. By making other people laugh and keeping the days full of jokes and flirtatious comments, he made himself feel better. Obviously he had been hurt by the loss of his parents just as much as Matthew had been, but Seb had needed to be stronger for his little brother. He had kept himself busy with the move and paperwork and everything else that had accompanied the twelve year old packing up and moving to another continent with his elder brother, but Seb had used all of that as a crutch and did so again now with humour. He just didn’t like the looks people gave when they heard about his situation or the pitying comments he overheard from time to time. He didn’t need any of that and neither did Matthew, so he had quickly learnt that a smile and a quick quip could chase most of them away.

“Oh trust me, slumber parties with me are the best.”

[/color] He said in a loud whisper, adding a smirk and subtle wink to his statement. He couldn’t help himself sometimes and Lilia often just gave him the perfect openings for such remarks. “You make it sound like you’re a wee bit of an expert?”[/color] He asked with a teasing twinkle in his deep blue eyes. Arching an eyebrow and looking her up and down, Seb scoffed lightly. “I suppose you’ll be wantin’ a bed and some breakfast, too, aye?”[/color] She was, of course, welcome to make herself at home and use what she liked. Seb had always said his door was open to his friends should they ever need anything. “So long as you buy me a pint with those hard earned winnings of yours.”[/color] Seb said, acting deadly serious about the matter. He threw her a glare and then shrugged his shoulders. “I find plenty of time since I don’t have to paint my nails or groom my hair with hundreds of products.”[/color] He joked, though he knew Lilia didn’t have to spend hours preparing for the day ahead, nor did she cake herself in make up like some of the girls in the city. Seb had seen a few he was convinced would melt if they got caught in the rain.

Nodding his head in agreement, Seb took a moment and then looked at Lilia. “I ask myself that same question every day. It must be exhausting showing that much restraint around me.”[/color] He heard Matthew scoff from his seat on the couch and Seb took a second to throw a candy twist at his brother. The jar resting on the shelf wasn’t only for Seb to munch on whenever he was coming or going; they provided good ammunition for a spontaneous fight. “Ow! Lilia, you saw that. She’s my witness.” Seb looked at the twelve year old and threw him a look. “It’s not my fault you can’t catch.”[/color] He said, playing innocent. Settled with their pizza and sodas, Seb started to feel mischievous with the company present and proceeded to flick Lilia’s ear in a childish fashion.
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• • •

TAGGED! Lilia <3
WORDS! 569!
OUTFIT! New York Guy!
LYRICS! Boomboxes and Dictionaries - - The Gaslight Anthem
NOTES! -___- <3 <3 <3

[Lilia Jayne Sterling]

When Jenny passed away, it hadn’t just been Theo, Issy and her parents that felt the blow of it, though it probably looked that way. Jenny had been as close as a sister to Lilia. But when they heard the news, someone had to have a clear head. Whenever she’d been around the family, all their friends, she was strong, with a clear head and she helped to get things done when Theo and Jenny’s parents couldn’t do it themselves. But when she was alone, she let herself feel what she couldn’t around everyone else. She loved her family, would do anything for them, and when she saw Theo was going to need help in America with everything there and Issy, she started the paperwork to move. But she never spoke about the darker side of her reasons for moving so far from her home; she only ever spoke about the good reasons. So she might not have been as close to the death as Seb or Matthew but she still understood.

Mischief brightened Lilia’s chocolate coloured eyes but she still rolled those dark orbs at the turn the conversation took. “You’re ridiculous,” she said on a sigh as though she really believed her words. Some days at the hospital when they were both written in for volunteer hours, it was passing him in the hall that had her laughing and bouncing by the time she sat with another patient or carried charts from the records to wherever they needed to be. A slow smile spread across Lilia’s glossed lips. “Wouldn’t you like to know,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. If her brother knew half the things she got up to when she was out for a night, she would be at home packing her bags for a convent in the middle of remote mountain in the middle of Europe far away from any trouble at all. “That depends on if I’m allowed home tonight. For the record, I like waffles, but if you’re not into cooking, I’ll take a couple chocolate Poptarts,” Lilia said, brushing away the arched brow and the scoff that had been sent her way. Lilia shrugged nonchalantly. “I’ll see what I can do about that,” she said idly. Of course if she had made a bet and was going to cash in on it, a drink sent his way for proving her right would have been the very least she could do. “I can see that, Scruffy McHobo” Lil said as blandly as she could, pretending the amusing little nickname she'd called him hadn't been said at all. She didn’t have the time of day herself most days to appear like she cared. She made some effort when she had to go out but she never caked herself in makeup or spend hours on her hair when brushing it or tossing it up into some style would do. As it was, going to the beach, she had shoved her hair into a messy bun atop her head and wrapped it in a bandana for a “Rosie the Riveter” look.

Lilia opened her mouth to say something sarcastic and witty in response to Seb’s overconfident remark but was saved by the brotherly antics. So instead of commenting, Lilia smiled mischievously at the younger Whelan before elbowing the elder in the side. “Picking on your brother will come to haunt you,” Lilia said, smiling innocently at the elbow hit. “I don’t know how many times I’m going to have to tell you I’m trying to eat before I have to actually do something about it,” she mutter, reaching up and uselessly making a mess of Seb’s already messy hair.

Tag || Seb!
Words || 615
Clothes || Beach Bum
Music || Untangle Me - - -The Maine
Notes || <3!

[Sebastian Finley Whelan]

If Seb felt like he needed time to grieve or let his emotions out, he usually made sure he was alone, or burning them off in a manner he thought was more beneficial. He either hit the gym or locked himself away with some textbooks and journals and let them distract him for long enough until he felt like his usual self again. Matthew never really wanted to talk about what had happened, which Seb was okay with, but he had constantly reassured the little boy that if he needed to talk then he just had to say the word and Seb would drop everything for him. The age difference between them didn’t change how close they were and Seb didn’t think it ever would. He might play the joker and the annoying big brother like he was born into those roles, but he would do anything for Matthew.

He laughed warmly at her eye roll and just winked in response, still sporting a cheeky grin on his face. He knew he could be as terrible as she said, but he only acted that way around those who wouldn’t mind it. It seemed to bring a smile to some of the patient’s faces on his volunteer shifts and that was all Seb was after from them in return for the free time he invested into those shifts. Hospitals could be grim places, but they didn’t have to be and Seb didn’t want to ever associate them like that either. Obviously bad, sad things did happen, but dwelling on them would help no one. “It is why I asked.”

[/color] He said, the mischievous look in his deep eyes matched by the smirk dancing across his lips. “But save the details until after ten.”[/color] He cocked his head in the direction of Matthew, who sighed and shook his head, but kept his eyes fixed on the television screen. “I’m right here and I’m not deaf!” Chuckling at the reaction of the twelve year old, Seb turned back to Lilia with an arched eyebrow. “I doubt your brother is going to make time to send you a text message on date night. And, if you do end up treating this place as a B&B then you get our kind of breakfast, isn’t that right, Matt?”[/color] Grinning, the pre-teen nodded his head, knowing exactly what Seb was talking about. The brothers had weekend and holiday treats when it came to breakfast. It just meant that the first meal of the day was something more creative, and on few occasions had been more disastrous than their stomachs cared to remember. “Hey, the look works and I’ve heard no complaints.”[/color] He hadn’t dated for a while, but that had been a choice he had made himself, but it didn’t stop him from some harmless flirting here and there.

Seb grinned at Lilia and nudged her playfully back. “Speaking from experience, aye?”[/color] He teased. Matthew just rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the pizza and soda. “Aw, you did my hair for me!”[/color] There was another grin already in place, knowing that his hair probably looked just about the same as it did five minutes ago. Most days he let it do whatever came naturally and then it just got “re-styled” each time he ran his fingers through it, which was more often than he realised. This time, and just to push Lilia’s buttons, he leaned across and stole a big bite from her slice of pizza. “It’s good pizza.”[/color] was all he had to say about it.
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• • •

TAGGED! Lilia <3
WORDS! 641!
OUTFIT! New York Guy!
LYRICS! Boomboxes and Dictionaries - - The Gaslight Anthem
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Lilia Jayne Sterling]

As much as Lilia claimed to be annoyed with Seb’s antics, there were days she couldn’t get through without them; especially when she had a particularly rough volunteer shift. He was always good for a laugh and a pick me up when it was needed. Unlike plenty of people in the world, Lilia actually enjoyed being at hospital. She didn’t think of it as a sad place, which it could be and she was aware, but she preferred thinking about the big, sterile building as a place where people got better. She knew the statistics, was well aware not everyone going through those doors would make it back out. It just wasn’t going to be possible, but she wanted to damn well try and make those statistics a little better than they were. She already knew it was going to kill her when she finally realised she couldn’t save one of her patients, but until then she was going to do everything she absolutely could. She only hoped that when that day came, Seb would be around to say something completely ridiculous and make her feel a little bit better about it all.

“Oh, of course, I’ll pencil you in, say ten fifteen? That work for you?” Lilia asked with a raised brow. She had done some interesting things on her nights out but she wasn’t about to tell anyone who didn’t already know, especially someone that twists her words. “If I could, I would mess up your hair like I do his all the time. Don’t you know yet that the girl is always right in an argument?” Lilia asked, shaking her head as if she were so disappointed in the twelve year old. “And don’t worry; the chance of me staying here is higher than me finding my own bed tonight,” she added grinning innocently. Lilia sent Seb a sad look. “They just don’t want to tell you to your face that you look foolish,” she said as if she really didn’t want to be the one to tell him the truth, though she was hardly doing that.

“Yes, but I was in Matt’s shoes. I didn’t get taller than my brothers but I was scrappy,” she said grinning at the memories. “Matt’s going to get taller than you and I really hope I’m here to see him take you on and win,” she added, laughing at the mere thought of it happening. The grin fell away for a moment to be replaced with an eye roll. Seb’s hair had one look to Lilia; mess. But that didn’t stop either of them from joking about it and trying to mess it up even more. “Aye, next time I bring scissors,” she said in a warning tone though her words were empty. She almost feared seeing Seb without the light layer of fur on his face and his hair out of its customary mess. Blowing air up into bangs that were already out of her face, Lilia crossed her legs under and pushed herself up to stand on the sofa. She stepped over Seb carefully and then sat down in his lap. “Touch my pizza again and you’ll be sporting some lovely bruises,” she said, glaring as she continued to eat her slice of pizza, despite the missing chunk. She turned to Matt once her mouth was clear to talk again. “And you, don’t turn out like this one,” she said, purposefully shoving her elbow into Seb’s stomach with a sweet smile curving her lips upward. She was aware by sitting on him, she was making it easier for him to attack her pizza slices but she had also sat in a position that gave her elbow a perfect like to his stomach.

Tag || Seb!
Words || 624
Clothes || Beach Bum
Music || Untangle Me - - -The Maine
Notes || <3!

[Sebastian Finley Whelan]

Seb, for all the joking and the games, could be serious when he had to be. He also knew when other people weren’t in the mood for his foolish chatter and silly teasing. He respected the moments when his usual quips were inappropriate and had surprised a few of the nurses with how sensitive he could actually be when it was best. He explained to them, and to anyone else, that he didn’t want people to associate him with the sadder, harder side of life and hospitals. He knew his ambition wasn’t going to give him a career of happy endings and great days, but they would exist. He’d rather be able to put a smile on someone’s face, make them feel good again, rather than share those moments of sympathy and professional indifference. If telling someone that they looked beautiful made them feel better, just a little bit, then he wanted to do that. He cared, sometimes too much, but that was what mattered most to him; making other people happy again. It wasn’t just the patients either, Seb liked to bring a smile to the nurses and doctors on his volunteer shifts, too. Even a pathetic joke that he “read that morning” or a funny little comment could be enough and it was something he planned on bringing with him once his college education was done and the hospital was his focus.

He hummed in contemplation for just a moment and then nodded his head, acting serious. “I believe I can make that work.”

[/color] He said before the grin cracked on his face and he flashed his dazzling white teeth at the brunette Scot. “My hair doesn’t defy gravity like Seb’s.” Matt grinned, glancing at Lilia and then focusing on the game again. Seb had inherited the wild kink and waves of his da’s light hair while Matthew had ended up with poker straight hair like their ma. “He’s twelve; I’m pretty certain girls are an entirely different species in his eyes, and carry cooties still.”[/color] His little brother was more invested in video games and rugby that he was in girls. Seb had broached the subject once or twice but Matt just wrinkled his nose, scoffed a no and then turned his attention elsewhere. Give it another year or so and Seb would be teasing him about that reaction. “Well, you have to put a bit of work in to get a bed here.”[/color] It was the same routine Seb did every night, but he still joked about it even when exhaustion was encouraging him to just pass out on the carpet they had resting under the coffee table. “Ah, they tell me I’m a fool. But then I manage to make them forget about that.”[/color] He fixed his eyes on hers and a wicked smile teased his lips. Matthew cleared his throat to make his presence known again, but just rolled his eyes at the pair of them acting more like teenagers than he did – and he was the closest one to that age frame!

Scoffing at the idea, Seb shook his head in complete disagreement. “Naw, Matt’s not getting taller than me. An’ even if he did, I have the muscles from high school rugby.”[/color] He flexed dramatically again and then grinned. The years on the rugby pitch had left him with a decent athletic build, but Matt had a variety of hobbies, whereas Seb had been dedicated to sports back in his teenage years. “An’ I bring the tickle monster.”[/color] He threatened lightly, though he would mercilessly attack the brunette if the situation ever did become a reality, just to make his point. Grinning as Lilia sat down in his lap, Seb wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tight in a big bear hug. “All the more fun for me!”[/color] He said in a sing-song voice as he bounced his legs up and down, thus shaking her as she tried to enjoy her slice in peace. He could be a childish nightmare when the mood struck him and around Lilia he found that mood liked to unveil itself more and more. “Trust me, watchin’ the pair of y’s is makin’ me feel sick.” Matt grumbled with a shake of his head, wondering how idiotic they were going to get before his bedtime crept around. To think they would both one day be responsible for the health and care of sick people! Seb glared at him warningly and then rested his chin on Lilia’s shoulder. “I think Matt needs cuddles, too. Know any twelve year old girls we could set him up with?”[/color] He asked, purely to annoy his brother.
[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! Lilia <3
WORDS! 826!
OUTFIT! New York Guy!
LYRICS! Boomboxes and Dictionaries - - The Gaslight Anthem
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Lilia Jayne Sterling]

Lilia had never been the type to let things get in her way. She was too bullheaded for that. She might have taken a break from her education when it was needed but she had always had every intention of going back and finishing up her final handful of credits. She was going to do that and then go through her residency with as much of a smile on her face as she can. She was going to make the best of even the worst situations. It helped knowing she had friends like Seb to turn to when she was hit pretty hard by something and one of his flirty quips or stupid jokes would do the job of cheering her up. “Great, I’ll make a note,” she said, her words dripping with sarcasm and she rolled her eyes towards the older Whelan. Lilia laughed at the accurate description of Seb’s hair. “No one’s hair does that except his,” She teased, amused with the pre-teen boy.

She caught herself wondering how Seb’s hair managed to be so gravity defying a few times since she’d met the nursing major. And she had said as much to his face having no filter when it came to Seb. “Then it’s the perfect lesson to learn now while he’s still young enough to think like that!” She pointed out, grinning wickedly. Lilia was just waiting for the day Seb told her Matt had a little girlfriend who was equally interested in video games. Oh the fun her friend was going to have then. Rolling her eyes, Lilia shrugged. “Alright,” she said, thinking if the sun hadn’t taken its toll and she found herself in a near coma on the floor, she would help. “I can’t forget. You prove it too many times to ever forget,” she said unable to stop herself from laughing.

“Just you wait,” Lilia said, shaking her head. Matt might not get taller than Seb but once he realised that girl’s did in fact exist and weren’t as disgusting as he had previously thought, there would be more work put into trying to attract them and that’s when Lilia would come back with a laugh and an “I told you so”. “I’m not ticklish,” she said blandly, though it was a complete lie. Her sides and the bottom of her feet were unbelievably ticklish, which was proven time and again when she lashed out and ended up kicking whoever was at her feet. Lilia had known as soon as she sat in Seb’s lap that it had been a bad idea but she liked annoying him as much as he enjoyed teasing her. She coughed out a breath like he was squeezing her too tightly. “Listen, He-man! Bugger off now,” Lil said as she none too politely elbowed her dear friend in the ribs. “I mean really, which one of you is older?” she asked rhetorically. She knew how ridiculously childish the Irishman could be, she’d seen it time and again but it still amused her to tease him about it. Grinning, Lilia used her free hand to reach over and mess up the pre-teens hair. “Seb you’re makin’ Matt sick. You should stop,” she said, leaning into Seb’s side and making things worse because as much as she was on Matt’s side against his brother, it was fun teasing him a little bit. Lilia tilted her head to the side, as though thinking that question out thoroughly. “I don’t know how old Natalie is. I’ll have to ask her the next time I see her. But aside from that, leave your poor brother alone to eat his pizza,” Lilia said, taking a bite from the slice in her hands.

Tag || Seb!
Words || 619
Clothes || Beach Bum
Music || Untangle Me - - -The Maine
Notes || <3!

[Sebastian Finley Whelan]

Seb had never let anyone deter him from his dreams. He had been proud to say that he had wanted to go into the nursing profession, even when people laughed at him for it. It was sort of hard to imagine the rugby playing Irishman with the rough tackle being the same man who would one day care for the sick. Commonly sporting a black eye, bruised jaw or at least several other marks on his body from the physical sport, people often expected to hear Seb talk about turning professional with the game or at least going into something sport related. Truthfully, the thought had never been more than a fleeting idea for Seb, who had known since he was pretty young what he wanted to achieve with his life. “It’s a gift, what can I say?”

[/color] He shrugged, acting casual about this conversation surrounding his hair, almost acting as though it was a usual discussion.

Arching his eyebrow, Seb looked at Lilia as though she was crazy and then shook his head. “Nu-uh. I am not settin’ up my wee brother fer high school girls ta trample all over him!”[/color] He said as though it was a very serious threat looming in Matthew’s life. Seb knew his little brother could take care of himself; he had a sharp wit and a no-nonsense attitude all of his own, but he also knew how the right girl could knock that house down with a single huff and puff. He just didn’t want that ‘right girl’ to be some maniac riding her hormones like they were a T-Rex in Central Park! Luckily there were still a few solid years before that ought to happen and Seb was still pretty certain that Matthew would have a video game controller in his hand through every sunny or stormy day in his life. The day Matt did mention a girl to Seb would be the day the brotherly advice would come pouring out, but the one he most wanted to drum into the so far oblivious little guy was ‘be yourself’; if that wasn’t good enough that the girl wasn’t good enough. “You just haven’t given me the chance to help you forget yet.”[/color] He wore a mischievous grin and wiggled his eyebrows overdramatically, earning another scoff from Matt.

Arching his eyebrow in disbelief, Seb shook his head, refusing to believe her. “Everyone says that, but…”[/color] He grabbed at her sides, hoping to prove his point as his fingers brushed over her ribs. “I am, obviously, but I also have a young at heart temperament.”[/color] He explained, as though it would help everything make sense again. Resting his chin on Lilia’s shoulder, he let his dark eyes glance across at Matt. “It’s probably just all the junk food he’s been eatin’ lately.”[/color] He said, shrugging the silly joke off and grabbing Lilia’s knee as he shifted slightly to grab another slice of pizza. “Fine, I’ll go back to annoyin’ you.”[/color] He stuck his tongue out at the brunette and then grabbed at her side once more.
[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! Lilia <3
WORDS! 558!
OUTFIT! New York Guy!
LYRICS! Boomboxes and Dictionaries - - The Gaslight Anthem
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Lilia Jayne Sterling]

Growing up Lilia wanted to be plenty of things. There were the usual princess, ballerina and having brothers even a police officer, firefighter and football star. She had always wanted to help people though it hadn’t been until she was a little older that she’d chosen how she would help people. She was happy when she grown up and found friends in like-minded people; even if they were as crazy as Seb could be. There were too many people out there that took life seriously. Just because there was a serious job to do, didn’t mean they had to live through every other moment in their lives with the same serious attitude. “See what you can say when I get the clippers out,” Lilia said sounding far more serious that she was feeling. It was difficult around Seb to be serious and stay that way. He was just too ridiculous to do anything less than laugh.

Lilia had had her fair share of teenaged adventures when he came to high school. None of which would ever find their way to her brother’s ears. She would be sent off to a convent in the mountains somewhere, even if what transpired were innocent things. No, what happened through her college years were far worse than anything she’d done in high school or abroad for that semester in Barcelona. “Or you’re setting him up perfectly to get the sweet girl no one bothers with until after high school, thus saving her a slutty freshman year of college,” Lilia said as though her words were brilliant and made perfect sense. “Maybe I’ll let you try sometime,” she said rolling her eyes as if it were an impossible challenge.

“Aye, but I mean it,” she said, trying not to show that she was lying like the rug under the table. Lilia saw the attack to her side coming, which was why she could prepare herself for it. She didn’t squeal when he grabbed at her, but she did pull her side in and away from him and slapped his wandering hands away from her side. The Scottish girl sent Seb a very bland look. “Are you sure? ‘Cause Matty’s acting more mature than you right now,” she said just as blandly as her look. Lilia tilted her head to the side just a little to give herself some space from Seb’s resting on her shoulder and all that messy hair tickling the side of her face. Lilia rolled her eyes at the younger Whelan as if sharing his thoughts on his older brother being insane. “Of course, that must be it. It has nothing to do with the extra sap you’re adding to annoy him or anything,” she said with a conspiratorial for Matt. The second grab she should have seen coming but hadn’t and the squeal she let out of her was completely girly and nothing like the persona Lilia tried to give off. “You’re an ass,” she said trying to sound mad but finding it difficult with the giggles.

Tag || Seb!
Words || 506
Clothes || Beach Bum
Music || Untangle Me - - -The Maine
Notes || <3!